Revisited
by 0621
Summary: A simple invitation for dinner gives Lucas the second chance he'd been too afraid to hope for. As he starts to explore what might have been, Peyton forms a plan to make sure Jake keeps Jenny, and Haley returns to Tree Hill to face Nathan.
1. An Invitation to Forget

Author's Notes: I really didn't think I'd be starting out with a One Tree Hill fic, but inspiration bit me in the butt last night and I pumped out a short chapter. It would have been longer, but it just felt appropriate to wrap it up where I did. This is a story about how an innocent invitation between friends can take life into completely unexpected places.

Revisited

Chapter One: An Invitation to Forget

Poetry in motion. His arm swung out in an arch, defying all laws of gravity in just one movement, daring science to challenge him. He caught the ball in midair, palm open and fingers outstretched like wings. The ball was trapped as if in a net, but only for a moment; soon it was on its way to the earth again. His legs worked, muscles straining under skin to keep him one step ahead of any opponent that might capture his orange-tinted, leather prize. It was him against the world, and every stride forward he took was on step closer to a two-point victory. The feet came together, battered shoes making only a breath of sound as the muscles in the calves curled for the spring. Cotton-clad arms bunched, ball balanced on spread palms. Sky-envious eyes measured up the distance between winning and losing miserably, and all the world paused with him in that half-second. The birds refrained from singing, the breeze halted its breath, the grass was as still as the upraised hairs on the back of his neck. This was the moment, that fine line between what was and what could be.

Lucas Scott took the shot, springing upward from his poised position with all the power in his athletic young body. His arms went up and out as if he could launch the earth into the heavens with ease. His legs powered this explosion of motion like pistons of pure steel. His hands released the ball at that crucial moment, while his eyes and ears waited for what he knew must come next. It was the truest form of music there was, the only thing that really mattered, the defining—

_Swish._

And it was over, just like that. The ball dropped to the ground as if it was a bird that had forgotten how to fly, and in that moment Lucas felt the irrational fear of having no purpose or direction in life. He paused then, watching the ball bounce slowly away from him, toward the water of the river, and dragged his hand through his brutally short, burnished gold hair.

He shouldn't even be playing, or at least that's what everyone would tell him if they knew about his test results. Another gift from his father—a potentially fatal heart condition. What everyone failed to realize was the fact that basketball called to Lucas like a siren, and he was helpless to resist. Basketball was something he could control, something he could lose himself in. Peyton, he knew, would understand. In many ways, the two of them were like kindred souls. From the beginning, Luke had felt a connection with the sassy, broody Peyton Sawyer, which wasn't like anything he'd experienced before. Every now and then, when he was alone at night, he wondered about what might have been had things between them turned out differently.

Skeletons in the closet, one might call them. Lucas shook off that train of thought and trailed after his basketball, taking his time. He was in no rush, after all, to return to Dan Scott's house, and he couldn't very well face the accusing looks of his mother. That left him with the river court, which was really the one place in Tree Hill that he could truly be himself—here it was just a boy, a net and a ball. It was beautiful in its simplicity. And then there was a girl—not just any girl—added to the mix.

"You know, basketball is a _team_ sport," she commented from behind him. Lucas whirled around at the sound of the unexpected, but familiar, voice.

Brooke Davis.

When he'd been stretched out in a hospital bed, she had been his guardian angel. When he'd been afraid to take life head-on, she showed him how to shake free of his bonds and find a completely different level of himself. In a few short months, Brooke had shown him how to push past everyone's limits—even his own. He hadn't realized how much she'd meant to him then, but looking at her now, he couldn't imagine what life would have been like without her. How had he ever been stupid enough to let her go? And how could he show her that he was ready to give her the love and appreciation she deserved now? It seemed impossible, especially when he took into consideration the fact that she was dating her neighbor, the suave, rich, oh-so-new kid named Felix.

"Teams," he told her with a somewhat wry smile, "can be overrated."

She wrinkled her nose at him, hazel eyes crinkling with amusement. "Broody's a glory-hog."

"Don't tell the rest of the guys." He scooped up the basketball and glanced away from her for a moment, wondering what came next. He was always on his toes when Brooke was around. He suspected she liked to keep it that way.

Being class president had done her good. She'd always been popular, but the office and its responsibilities had added a new luster to her. She simply looked more confident, healthier, more in control. Whether she'd like to think so or not, Brooke had changed. He wondered if she'd ever be the girl that showed up half-naked in almost-strangers' back seats anymore/

"Your secret's safe with me," she told him, hesitating only for a second before walking slowly over. One got the impression that everything Brooke did was calculated to have the maximum effect. It never failed to amaze Lucas how quickly she could cast a spell over everyone around her. It was one of the things he had come to love about her.

"Glad to hear it. What brings you to the river court?" he asked, lazily dribbling the ball to ward off any potential physical awkwardness.

Brooke ran her tongue over her lips as she considered, then tilted her head and gave him the patented Davis smile—the one designed to give men heart attacks. Lucas tried to ignore it, and might have succeeded if he could have managed to look anywhere but at her.

"I know I've said thank you, and I know you hate it when people make a big deal out of things—"

Lucas interrupted, sputtered in protest. "I do not hate it when people—"

She speared him with a pointed look, and grinning, he fell silent. With an elegant wave of her hand, she continued. "I just wanted to let you know that I really am grateful, and not just for your help with the campaign. You really pulled me through some difficult times. And it's not just me you've helped."

He tilted his head and looked at her quizzically, causing her to smile again.

"Mouth is really appreciative, too."

At that, Lucas immediately gave and embarrassed little wiggle that doubled as a shrug. "Mouth's a really good guy. We've been friends for as long as I can remember, and I owe him a couple."

Brooke's expression communicated her doubt, and she shoved him in the arm gently. "Whatever, Broody. That's beside the point, anyway. I came here to invite you over to dinner at my place. Now before you start launching a speech on inappropriately intimate settings for two friends—" she eyed him sharply at this— "let me add that the reason I'm inviting you there and not to a restaurant is that I want you to be my guinea pig."

Lucas raised an eyebrow, a slight, speculative smile curving his full lips. "Your guinea pig," he repeated. Brooke beamed at him and looped her arm through his, drawing him toward the river as they strolled.

"Right. I've been learning how to cook."

He did a double take and let out a surprised laugh. This was the last thing he'd expected to hear from her. She glared up at him playfully and smacked his arm.

"What's so funny?" she demanded. "I spend a lot of time on my own, so I decided it was high time I learned how to feed myself properly. It's a lot cheaper to eat in than it is to go out. Besides, Peyton's teaching me. She cooks for her and her dad all the time."

"I didn't know that, but I guess it makes sense." He glanced at her and smiled. "All right, Brooke, dinner sounds good."

She smiled up at him warmly, and turned her gaze to the water for a minute. "Great. And if I set the kitchen on fire, dinner's on you."

He laughed again. "Agreed."

They strolled in silence for a moment. Lucas had decided not to think about the position he was now in considering Brooke. If he were in Felix's shoes, he wouldn't have been thrilled to hear that his girlfriend was inviting her ex-boyfriend over for a home-cooked dinner for two. But then again, Brooke had clearly defined it as a meal between friends, more of a thank you than anything else. Surely that was innocent enough, right?

Right. Of course. Nothing to worry about. Which usually meant there was plenty to worry about.

After a long moment of reflection, Brooke broke the silence once more, avoiding his gaze. Her eyes skimmed over the opposite shore of the river as she slowly put together her words.

"It's been lonely for you since Tutor Gir—since Haley left, hasn't it?"

He paused for a moment in silent surprise. He'd been under the impression that his emotional reaction to Haley's sudden absence from Tree Hill, and subsequently his life, had been relatively well-controlled. His half-brother certainly didn't seem to think that her disappearance had bothered him. Peyton had expressed her sympathy, but she had her own ups and downs to deal with. She didn't seem to see how down he'd been. And yet Brooke was here, as intuitive to him as she'd ever been, and she knew. A knew wave of loneliness hit him then, a combined mixture of missing his best friend, and missing the girl right beside him.

"Yeah," he finally managed, scanning the horizon. "Haley has been a constant in my life since we were eight. Even when she started seeing Nathan, we were tight. When I found out she was gone, without even saying a word to me, I felt…"

Brooke squeezed his arm gently, bringing her gaze to his face. "Betrayed."

He looked down at her and nodded slowly. "Yeah. And hurt. And a little angry. But now I just miss her."

"I don't want to take her place—I can't take her place—but I hope I can at least make you feel a little less alone, Luke."

He smiled down at her then, stopping to wrap her in a warm hug. As her arms came around his neck in a tight embrace, he closed his eyes and for a moment forgot about where life had left him. He breathed in her scent and let peace surround him, remembering a time before things had gotten crazy in Tree Hill. He should have held her this way more, but he couldn't change the past no matter how hard he tried.

"Thanks, Brooke," he whispered in her ear, keeping her firmly pressed to his chest.

"Don't mention it, Broody," she replied, and gave him a squeeze. As they parted, she gave him a wink and backed slowly toward her car. "I'll see you tonight around six?"

"I'll be there," he assured her, and relished in her answering smile.


	2. Breaking All the Rules

Quick note: I am currently looking for a beta reader for this story. If you're interested, please email me!

R e v i s i t e d  
_Chapter Two: Breaking All the Rules_

She didn't fail to grasp the irony of the situation.

_How could I?_ she thought. _It's staring right at me._ Peyton Sawyer adjusted her arms to more comfortably bear the weight of a child and watched, fascinated, as Jenny Jagelski blew contented little spit bubbles in her direction. The irony of it was that Peyton, who'd lost her mother young, was now in all but blood a young mother herself. Though she hadn't given birth to Jenny, she bathed, clothed and fed the baby. She read to her, played with her, helped her learn to crawl, even sang her to sleep. Where Nikki had failed her daughter, Peyton was determined to excel. And all the time she was spending with Jenny allowed her to spend time with Jenny's father. What had once just been a perk of the job was now turning into so much more; every moment she spent with Jake and Jenny she treasured, and every time Jake looked at her and smiled, she knew that all of her help and love was appreciated.

"Your daddy," she said to the gurgling infant, "is late."

Jenny simply started up at Peyton and smiled that megawatt Jagelski smile. After a moment, Peyton smiled herself.

"You're right. He's always late."

It was at that precise moment and time that Jake decided to walk in, all smiles to see his little family together in Peyton's bedroom. Immediately, Peyton stood, a smile blooming over her face at just the sight of him. He always brought with him the scent of summer and the promise of something greater, he was so grounded that he gave her heart wings.

"My two favorite ladies," he said warmly as he walked to them with his arms outstretched. Being careful of Jenny, Peyton looped her free arm around him and rested her head against his shoulder. Jake dropped a kiss to Jenny's uplifted cheek before brushing his lips over Peyton's curls. It never ceased to amaze him how even the slightest light could bring out the gold hidden in those ringlets. He loved to watch the way the sun moved over her hair, he loved watching her draw or throw her head back and laugh, completely unaware of the fact that she was the most beautiful woman in the world. At least in his opinion.

He knew he shouldn't have let himself fall so hard so fast. When Nikki had bolted, leaving him with his infant daughter, he'd vowed to be more careful with his heart, for Jenny's sake if not for his own. But that was impossible with Peyton. She wiggled her way past his defenses. Watching her as she held his daughter, watching her naturally become a mother before his eyes, he'd lost a part of his heart to her.

He caught her gaze then, saw a question lurking in her eyes, which at the moment were just this side of green. He smiled to reassure her that nothing was wrong; for now, everything in his life was perfect. These were the moments that kept him going.

"Welcome home. How was work?" she asked, setting Jenny on the bed. She kept a close eye on the baby. Jenny loved to roll, so Peyton had to constantly make sure she wasn't getting too close to the edge of the bed.

"Work. But it helped to know I was coming home to you and Jenny." He paused and walked over to the bed, kneeling before her and taking her hands in his. "Look, Peyton…you've really pulled me through some hard times. You and Jenny."

"Jake, you don't have to say thank you." She smiled at him, pulling her fingers from his grasp to touch his face gently. His smile turned wry and he nodded, almost bashful suddenly.

"Yeah…" He trailed off slowly. Straightening, he scooped Jenny up and tossed her in the air, then set her in her little play pen. As she went to town with several rattles, he returned to the bed and tilted Peyton's head back for a long, slow kiss. As she wrapped her arms around his neck, she finally made her decision. She was going to go through with her plan, as radical and out-of-character as it was for her to do so. For Jake, for Jenny, and for herself.

•••

There was no rush, not as the late afternoon rays blanketed Tree Hill in oranges and pinks. As he wandered along the sidewalk toward 'home' slowly, Lucas gave himself the time it took to properly appreciate the beauty of his town just before sunset. He had a couple of things to do before he went over to Brooke's for dinner, but he was reluctant to spend too much time in Dan Scott's home. Fate, he decided as he passed by his mother's café, had dealt him a very interesting hand.

He'd barely finished that thought when a familiar figure turned onto the street, walking slowly in his directionor, to be completely in honest, in the direction of his mother's café. A very familiar figure…but that simply _couldn't_ be, could it? He squinted, wondering if he was imagining things.

"Lucas!" She burst into a sprint and a half-second later, she collided with him in an almost-violent tangle of limbs.

"Haley!" he replied, barely able to keep from stuttering in his surprise. Haley James-Scott pulled back in his arms and flashed him her biggest, brightest, happiest Haley smile, still holding him tight. "I…didn't think you'd be back for at least another few"

"I left early," she said quickly. "Listen, that's not important. How are _you?_ What's been going on here since I left? And how's Peyton? I know you told me that Jake and Jenny are staying with her, but I"

"Nathan's fine." Lucas lifted an eyebrow. "That's what you were really asking, wasn't it?"

Haley's shoulders dropped as she pulled back, her smile fading. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but closed it again and shook her head. Finally, clapping a hand to the top of her head like she always did when she was particularly troubled, she looked back at him and sighed.

"Yes." There was a long pause as she grappled with how to tell him why she left, the way being out on tour made her feel, the way singing gave her wings and being away from Tree Hill had made her feel like she was flying…why she had come back. Her eyes searched the horizon for the answer, and failing to find it there she turned her gaze back to her oldest friend and shoved her hands into her pockets. "I don't know how to explain any of it, Luke. I think you'll understand one day, no matter how mad you are now. And I know I screwed up with Nathan, leaving the way I did, but…"

"There is no _but_, Haley." Lucas took her shoulders and met her eyes head-on, his face serious. "Listen, Mom can wait, Peyton and Jake can wait, _I_ can wait. But you need to go see Nathan _now._"

She dropped head, letting her hair fall forward to obscure her face. "I know that, Luke. I do."

"So go. Surprise him and put this to rights." He gave her a playful nudge and an encouraging smile.

"You're right." She sucked in a breath and steeled herself for what was to come. "I'm going, I promise."

As she pulled back and started to turn to go home, he caught her arm.

"Haley."

"Yeah?" Her eyes were curious as she waited for him to tell her whatever it was that was on his mind. His smile surprised her a little bitit was the smile he used to give her, before Nathan, before Brooke, before the basketball team and Dan Scott.

"I'm glad you're home," he finished, releasing her arm. Moved, Haley managed to smile back. Lucas was the one thing she could fall back on. He was a pillar, a wall of strength and support, and in the coming days, she was going to need him more than ever.

"Thanks, Luke," she replied, and with a little wave, she turned away and started for home, leaving Lucas on the street only a few yards from Karen's Café and his mother.

Sooner or later, he knew, he'd have to square with his mother. Perhaps after he knew that Haley and Nathan were going to be all right, or else after he'd managed to gather enough dirt on Dan Scott to drag the man down for good. But he wasn't ready, not yet. To reconcile, he'd have to tell her too many things that she wasn't ready to hear yet, at least not from him, not the least of which was the fact that he _did_ have a potentially fatal condition. Something that Dan _did_ know. For now he was stuck where he was.

He started walking again, this time with a little more speed. Seeing Haley back in Tree Hill was an unexpected surprise, and he hoped that Nathan would calm down now that his wife had returned. But they had issues to sort out, and the road to recovery wouldn't be easy. Still, having Haley back would also provide Lucas with enough emotional support to continue his campaign against the Scott patriarch and battle his feelings for Brooke. He'd missed having someone to talk to.

Was this what she had gone through when he'd decided to leave Tree Hill with his uncle? Abandoned, even lonely? A twinge of guilt struck him as he continued toward the house. Her homecoming would be hardermuch harderthan his.

Too soon for his liking, he was walking up the drive toward the front door of the Scott house. He wondered if Deb was home, or Dan. He really wasn't in the mood to see either of them. He just wanted to sit and _think_ for a moment, devise a plan for getting through dinner with Brooke without wondering how things had gotten so complicated between them.

He managed to slip into his room without being stopped and caught sight of himself in his mirror. There was a furrow to his brow and a curious tightening around his mouth, the physical signs of the stress he was surrounded by.

He'd been neglecting his river court friends again. He still say Mouth on a fairly regular basis, but Skillz and the boys…suddenly he missed them, with an intensity that surprised him. They were friends from another life, from before varsity basketball, Dan Scott, before losing a best friend to his worst enemy, before losing love but gaining a brother.

He shrugged out of his coat and dropped it on his bed, then turned to his closet and shoved around, trying to find something a little nicer to wear than his battered t-shirt. He plucked out a comfortably faded sky blue, long sleeved shirt, a belt, and dark blue pants. It was a slight improvement, he decided. Besides, Brooke had always liked him in bluebrought out his eyes, she said.

As he pulled the shirt over his head, he wondered if he was making a huge mistake. He felt like he was on the verge of something big, like a turning point was fast approaching. There would be no going back to what had once been after tonight. He didn't know if that was a blessing or a curse.

He finished changing and, making sure he had his wallet and cell phone, he quickly made his escape from the house of Scott, wondering if he was walking away from one mistake only to embrace another.

•••

**General Notes_: I actually meant to get to the dinner in this chapter, but finishing it was taking a long time and I know that the dinner with be a major portion of the next chapter, so I decided to separate it. I know the story has been very focused on Lucas and Brooke so far, but I promise it will broaden out to include the rest of the characters very soon._**

**Thank yous:**

**•sweetgirl73: **Thank you so much for taking the time to review! You were my very first reviewer! I hope the updates satisfy you.

**•Alie2105: **Thank you for reviewing! I hope you enjoyed this part.•gooseles: I'm glad you liked the start. I wanted to include more of the characters, but it so naturally ended there for me. I hope this chapter was as intriguing for you as the first one, let me know if you liked it!

**•tutorgirl323: **Thank you! I hope you continue to like the story

**•Lilybee2003: **Your compliments are so sweet! I was hoping I stayed true to the characters, at least as much as I possibly can. I wanted Lucas to be reflective like he was toward the beginning of the first season. And I'm a huge Brucas fan, too. Let me know if this chapter was as good as the last one!

**•BrucasRocks: **Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!

**•Ali213:** Thank you, your compliments are very sweet! I hope you enjoy this installment as much as the first one!


	3. Moonlight Becomes You

**• **A** big thank** you goes out to my beta,** Kat! •**

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**R e v i s i t e d  
**_**A One Tree Hill fanfic****

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**Chapter Three: Moonlight Becomes You _

A big goes out to my beta, 

The light had faded.

Nathan Scott watched the sunlight's leisurely retreat from his walls and tried to sum up some kind of emotion, but all that was left was an alcohol-induced numbness. He didn't know how else to deal with the pain that he was helpless to escape. Drinking was the only thing he knew how to do with any authority, perhaps with the exception of basketball.

He'd never pictured himself here. Even just a year ago, his wife had been a faceless stranger and he'd been living it up to the fullest—parties, sex, basketball, you name it. He was Dan Scott's boy, the star player on the Tree Hill Ravens. And now he was just Nathan, emancipated from his parents, separated from the only person in his life that made him feel worthwhile, and without a single person to help him through it. Not to say his friends hadn't tried; Peyton had tried to shame him into some sort of action, Brooke had made a couple of cheeky comments about how if she were in Nathan's shoes, she'd be kicking Chris' ass for stealing away his wife, and Lucas was constantly there as well, urging him to try and talk to Haley, try to understand what her motivations for leaving were.

Nathan had pushed them all away and retreated to his empty apartment, allowing the rage and pain to fester as he tried to remember if he needed to buy more beer.

_Idiot,_ he cursed himself. _How could I tell her that we were over if she left?_

He'd always frowned upon flowery declarations of love. 'I need you like I need air,' had only conjured up laughter in years past. However, he couldn't stop himself from thinking the same thing now that Haley, his beautiful wife, had left him to suffer alone in Tree Hill.

Which was another thing he'd never counted on. He'd always assumed that as soon as high school was over, the sleepy town of Tree Hill would be a thing of the past. He had plans to apply to Duke University and join the basketball team there. And after that, he was a sure shot for the NBA. Why not? He was, after all, Dan Scott's boy, and _the_ basketball prodigy of the Carolinas. Who could turn him—or his father's money—down?

Not so anymore. He doubted he'd be leaving Tree Hill any time soon, since he had legally divorced his parents and their financial support. Not that he regretted this action. What he regretted was letting Haley slip through his fingers. She could tell him it was for her dreams and for her career, and he didn't doubt that these were the two primary motivations for her to disappear on tour with Michelle Branch. But she couldn't plausibly deny that Chris wasn't part of her decision to leave, either.

Chris. Nathan's fingers tightened around the bottle of beer in his hand. The thought of that scrawny rat-bastard never failed to incite these feelings of rage in him. Healthy or not, his desire to seriously maim the performer wasn't going anywhere. If he ever saw that guy again, Nathan would make sure that the kid regretted ever being born.

He took another swig from the bottle and stood, heading for the refrigerator. He couldn't' remember if he had food in there or not. As he swung its door open, the lock clicked on his front door. He snapped his attention over to the foyer, wondering who would dare disturb him—he'd been something less than hospitable of late—and turned to face whoever came into his dungeon-like apartment.

The minute he recognized who the intruder was, an icy shock ran down his spine like lightening, and his eyes went wide. The bottle of beer fell from suddenly limp fingers and dimly he was aware that his mouth had dropped open. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he registered the fact that his bottle had shattered on the counter, but he couldn't bring himself to care. A trembling wracked his body as he lost physical control of himself in a way he'd never experienced before.

_This just can't be happening_—

"Hi, Nathan." Haley James-Scott stood in the doorway to their demolished apartment, looking radiant and exhausted all at once, staring wordlessly at her broken husband.

•••

Brooke scurried around her house and thanked God again that her parents very rarely came home. As she tried to decide if candles would be setting the wrong atmosphere, her fingers twisted in the satin of her scarlet-red shirt, cut to expose one graceful shoulder. She'd carefully applied her makeup and chosen a pair of flattering boot-cut jeans. A scarf that matched her shirt had been saucily tied about her waist and she'd spent at least an hour straightening her shoulder-length hair.

Belatedly, she realized she was nervous. Which was ridiculous, because Brooke Davis was absolutely never nervous, especially when it came to friends. Most definitely when it came to guys. And never when it came to guys she considered friends.

_Shit._ Lucas Scott was making her nervous.

She didn't care to examine just what about Lucas was making her feel like a deer caught in headlights. She wrote it off to their somewhat turbulent past and moved on. After all, she was dating the wild, dashing and protectively adorable Felix. Her feelings for Lucas were strictly platonic. Weren't they?

Of course they were.

At the last minute she ditched the candles, but she left the dining room lights slightly dimmed. As she finished setting the table, the doorbell rang. A quick glance at the grandfather clock standing regally against the wall told her that, as usual, Lucas was punctual with a capital 'P.'

She took a moment in her dash to the door to check over her appearance. She didn't know why—this was _Lucas_, after all—but somehow knowing that she was looking her best helped to calm her nerves. She liked looking good for Lucas. But she didn't care to examine the reasons for that, either. Taking a soothing breath, she pulled open the door and nailed him with her best Davis-diva smile, hoping to knock him dead.

In fact, the results were flip-flopped. She was the one left reeling from the sight of him on her doorstep, smiling warmly, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans. The blue in his shirt electrified his eyes, so azure and bright tonight that the heavens might have been green with envy behind the stars. He was still so devastatingly handsome it took her breath away, and she felt the old urge to lean against his chest well up in her before she could control herself.

Hoping none of this showed on her face, she tilted her head toward the dining room and stood to the side to welcome him in.

"Hey there, Broody. Come on in," she told him, and he grinned at her as he stepped inside, offering the ice cream he'd picked up on the way for dessert. She took it, allowing the cold shock of contact with the container to bring her back to her senses. This was _Lucas._ Those three words were fast becoming a mantra.

"Nice place." Lucas glanced around the Davis home in admiration and approval. For a moment, Brooke wondered what prompted the comment, and then realized that during their relationship, she'd spent far more time at his place than he'd ever spent at hers.

"Well, my parents spared no expense," she replied, walking toward the kitchen with the ice cream in her hands, eager to get the dessert into the freezer. "They never did."

A warm chuckle came from Lucas then, and he glanced at her retreating form. "Lifestyles of the rich and famous?"

"Overrated," she replied quickly. "But not by much." She winked at him over her shoulder and he laughed again, thinking she looked beautiful in the low lights. Candlelight would have been better—she looked like some kind of Aphrodite in candlelight.

He shook that thought out of his head and wandered into the dining room. He could smell whatever it was that Brooke had made for dinner and it had his stomach rumbling. Whatever it was she had prepared, it certainly had a fantastic aroma.

"Need any help in there?" he called, studying the beautiful grandfather clock.

"This is woman's work, remember?" was her glib reply. He smiled to himself and shook his head.

"How Martha Stewart of you."

"Anything to spend more time with Miss P. Sawyer. Especially since I've been trying to get all of the juicy details about her living situation." She appeared carrying a large, covered platter, which she set down toward the center of the table. Salad and tongs, French bread, olive oil and red sauce had already been arranged with the plates and silverware. "She's been stubbornly quiet about it, but she won't last against me long, she never does. Have a seat."

He took his chair and found himself staring across the table directly into her eyes. He could tell she was a little nervous, but eager for him to try the food. She was watching him closely as if trying to memorize every aspect of him, and a smile played about her lips as her fingers found her napkin and twisted. It was a vulnerable gesture, and one he'd never seen from her before. He reached across the table and covered her fingers with his own, giving them a gentle squeeze. Then he uncovered the large serving bowl and gaped.

She'd made a beautiful Penne Rustica, complete with prosciutto, shrimp, grilled chicken and parmesan. The sauce looked perfect, creamy and delicate, and it was garnished with a sprig of barley and spiced gingerly. It was an elaborate Italian meal, and it took Lucas completely by surprise. He hadn't expected her to pull out all the stops this way. Then again, this was Brooke. Pulling out all the stops was her forte.

He looked up at her and smiled. "It looks great."

She grinned back at him and reached for the serving spoon, taking a playful swing at his hand with it. "Don't just stare at it, Broody, dig in! I didn't put it out here for us to look at it all night."

He followed orders, serving her first before scooping a generous amount of pasta onto his plate. After adding some salad to his helping, he glanced up and found her holding up her glass, one brow lifted in quiet, teasing challenge. Accepting, he lifted his own glass and let his lips quirk into a small grin.

"To dinner between friends," she said.

"To beautiful meals made by beautiful ladies," he countered, tapping his glass against hers. "Cheers."

"Cheers," she repeated slowly, her eyes locked on his face as if she were trying to disconcert some answers from his deep blue gaze.

For the first few minutes, they ate in silence. Lucas was blown away by the food. Brooke obviously had talent in the culinary field. He wondered if she realized it, or if anyone had ever told her before. Then he wondered if she'd ever cooked for Felix. He hoped not, which was probably very jealous and possessive of him, but he found he couldn't help it.

He looked up and caught her gaze. "Brooke, this is amazing," he said.

Her smile burst across her face like the sun burning through thin morning clouds, but she attempted to wave away his praise nonchalantly.

"No need to get all knight-in-shining-armor on me, Lucas. It's not that great."

"_Au __contraire_," he replied. "I had no idea you were this talented in the kitchen."

She opened her mouth as if to argue, then closed it and glanced away. "Thanks, Luke."

He didn't press the issue further, and a comfortable silence fell over the table once more. One topic he was hoping to avoid was Felix. He hadn't really liked the guy since the first day they met, but he seemed to be doing a lot of good for Brooke. At least he wasn't hurting her, which was more than Lucas could say for himself. True, he'd rather screwed up Brooke's congratulatory party after she'd been elected class president, but he was trying to be a good, supportive boyfriend.

On the other hand, he burned with curiosity to know what had prompted Brooke to have a change of heart about the new guy. At first, she hadn't seemed to like him any more than Lucas had. Then again, he'd never really accounted for fatal attraction, either.

"What are you thinking about?" Brooke asked softly, her eyes on his face under lowered lashes.

"Nothing." Then, after a bite of the pasta, he reconsidered. "Felix." He said it like an admission of guilt, and he avoided her gaze for a long moment afterward. Brooke paused, her fork hovering halfway down to the plate.

"Lucas—"

"You don't have to defend him, Brooke. If you think he's a good guy, and if he's making you happy, then that's all that matters." He shook his head. "He's trying to be there for you, and he cares for you. No matter how much I dislike him, those are two big points in his favor."

"Luke—"

"And he's better to you than I ever was, so I guess I really can't fault the guy, so—"

"_Luke."_ She let her fork drop to the plate with a clatter, finally silencing him. She'd been hoping Felix wouldn't come up, but there hadn't really been a way around it. She didn't know how to tell him what attracted her to Felix, maybe because she wasn't entirely sure. He was good looking, yes, and he had a wild streak that kept even her on her toes. But he had promised her that he would protect her, and perhaps that was what had cinched the deal. The problem was, no matter how much she enjoyed being with Felix—and she did enjoy being with him—a part of her couldn't help but yearn for Lucas. It was quiet, but constant. She missed him, missed feeling like she was falling in love with him, missed how safe and special he'd always made her feel with just a look or a smile.

Working with him on her campaign for the presidency hadn't helped either. He'd been so eager to help, so supportive, that she'd lost another part of her heart to him. He'd stood back, ready to catch her if she fell, but knowing the whole time that she couldn't fail. How could she? This was Brooke—she could do anything. He always had the right words to keep her fighting, and for the first time in her life, fighting clean. She'd taken the high road and it had paid off. All thanks to Lucas.

His eyes were on her now, electric pools of blue, wide and questioning at her sudden outburst. He'd let his own fork come to rest on his plate, and he was sitting very still, lips slightly pursed as he interrogated her with his gaze.

"Let's not talk about Felix," she finally murmured. His hand covered hers again for a minute, his expression turning apologetic.

"I'm sorry, Brooke, I didn't mean to—"

"Let it go, Broody," she replied, attempting a grin. But she took a moment to lace their fingers, enjoying the feel of having his larger hand curled around hers. He was warm—he'd always been so warm—and his grip was comfortably firm.

She could have hated him for making her second-guess her relationship with Felix. After all, Felix was turning out to be quite a guy. There was a lot more to him than she'd originally assumed, just as she was sure he'd learned a lot more about her than he'd expected. But hating Lucas just didn't work. He genuinely cared about the people in his life, and he was there, no holds barred, if someone he loved was in trouble. His presence was like a comforting blanket, one that she wanted to draw around herself and hold onto tightly.

_Yeah, well, that blanket unraveled rather quickly for you the last time you let yourself fall for Luke, didn't it?_

She looked at him and sighed. He seemed different now. More confident, more sure of himself and what he wanted. And, like it or not, she was pretty different now, herself.

After a moment, she pulled her hand away and finished off her plate. Lucas glanced at her when her fingers left his, but didn't question it. Instead, he finished his food as well and stood to help her clear.

"I'm helping with the dishes," he told her, stacking dirty plates.

"No way. This is a thank-you dinner, you don't get to work," she argued.

"Well, you can't stop me, so I guess I do get to work."

She bumped him with her elbow as they walked into the kitchen. "I could stop you if I really wanted to."

He grinned at her. "Right."

They settled into an easy routine. He'd scrub and rinse the plates, and she'd dry them and put them away. For about two minutes, they worked without a word, and then Lucas couldn't take the silence any longer. Instead, he pulled out the faucet's nozzle and sprayed her liberally with water. She shrieked in protest and snapped her towel at him, which was mostly ineffective because it was hardly even damp. He laughed as she went at him with loosely balled fists, pulling back and trying to spray her again and catch her wrists all at once.

Brooke was laughing too, trying to pay him back for dousing her with cold tap water. She pounded at his chest until he caught her wrists, then attempted to attack him with her full body. When they finally quit wrestling, both of them soaked and breathless from laughter, she realized she was splayed against his chest, her wrists still in his grasp. He must have realized their positioning just then as well, because his laugher died and she found herself once again staring into his eyes.

They stayed like that for only one too-brief moment before they both pulled away and started doing the dishes again. All attempts at further playfulness were strained, as neither knew how to handle what had just transpired between them.

"Brooke." His soft voice cut through the quiet kitchen like a knife, and she jerked her head in his direction to catch his gaze. "Dinner really was amazing."

She smiled at him. "Thanks."

They dried their hands and walked toward the door, Lucas trying to be casual and failing miserably, Brooke trying not to notice and failing as well. He stepped out of the house and onto the porch, then turned back to her, an almost-wry smile on his face.

"It wasn't poisoned, was it?" he asked. She laughed and shoved at his chest.

"Maybe," she replied conspiratorially. "You'll just have to wait and see."

He laughed with her for a moment, then wiggled his shoulders a little and shifted his feet. "Thanks again. I really enjoyed it. I hope you'll cook for me some more."

"Depends on how nice you are to me." She smiled at him and tilted her head, eyes sparkling with good humor. They were both stalling, they both knew it, but neither could bring themselves to care.

"Well…" He paused and decided to face reality. "Goodnight, Brooke."

She stepped onto the porch with him. "Goodnight, Lucas."

He nodded and backed away from her, his eyes on hers, and then turned and headed for home. She watched him go, heart doing back flips, and wondered why every time he walked away she felt like a little part of her was dying.

He was disappearing into the night, his shirt fading against the shadows, and she was letting him walk away. Again. But how could she go after him? There was the fact that he'd betrayed her, the fact that she was with Felix now, to consider. And yet…

"_Luke!_" She ran after him as best she could barefoot, and he turned at the sound of her voice. He just had enough time to pull his hands out of his pockets as she collided with him, and his arms wrapped around her waist to steady them both.

"Brooke, what's—"

"Shut up," she ordered, face buried in his chest as she tightened her grip around his neck. She could feel him tense as if to pull away and prayed to any higher power she could think of that he'd stay put. After an agonizingly undecided moment, he relaxed and tightened his grip, dropping his cheek to the top of her head.

"Lucas." She tilted her head back and opened her mouth to try and explain what she didn't even understand. She didn't have to. He, like always, knew just what she was trying to tell him.

_I can't let this happen,_ he thought desperately, but he knew he wasn't going to stop it. How could he? He was helpless to resist her. And he didn't want to, anyway.

She was raising up to her tiptoes, her arms still around his neck, and he wasn't pulling back. For a moment, he fought against the overwhelming urge to kiss her, and then he surrendered. He'd never been much of a fighter anyway.

Their lips met, whispering over each other in a sweet mockery of kissing before he took the final plunge and fully kissed her. She melted against him, as if this moment was what she'd been waiting for after long years of absence. As a feeling completeness washed over him, he pushed away all thoughts of Dan, and basketball, and Felix and their past and let himself sink into the moment. After all, he wasn't sure he'd ever get another chance at this again.

They pulled back after a minute-long eternity and stared at each other. It took another eternity for them to step back from each other, and Brooke brought her fingers to her lips as if he'd burned her.

"I…"

He shook his head. "Shouldn't have done that," he finished. His heart felt like it was splintering. How could he have let that happen?

He wasn't prepared, however, for the flash of hurt that sprang across her eyes with hurricane force, or for her to retreat a few more steps. Immediately realizing his mistake, he reached for her, but it was too late. She turned and darted from him, leaving him standing alone in the dark, wondering how he could have possibly screwed up with her so badly…again.

•••

**Gooseles •** Ah, you're right. Getting all the 'blah blah blah' out in the first chapter can really slow things down, can't it? I'm really glad that the first chapter caught your attention. Description is a huge part of the way I write. I happen to think that surroundings are very important to behaviors, and add some flavor to a scene. I promise Peyton's plan will be revealed soon, but things probably won't go smoothly for Ms. Sawyer quite yet. I'm a big Naley fan, too, and I hope I handle their reunion with some semblance of reality. Thank you again for reviewing, I always look forward to reading them!

**Mel •** Thank you very much! I love writing this story so far, so keep your eyes open for updates!

**l-a-c-18 •** I'm glad you like the story so far, and thank you for your compliment. It killed me when Haley left with Chris on tour, so I decided to bring her back. I hope you enjoyed the dinner scene! Brucas is my favorite, too!

**RoseRows •** Whew! What a relief to hear that my attempts on adding philosophical perspective are so far successful. Since Lucas always struck me as such a deep thinker, I wanted to add part of that aspect of him into the plot. I agree with you about Haley and Nathan, as well. Believe me, it won't be a kiss-and-make-up deal. Thank you for reviewing!

**Gerky •** Thank you! I'm very glad you took the time to review, and I hope you continue to enjoy my story!

**BrucasJeffnTrishforeva •** That's quite a pen name, but I like it! Thank you for reviewing! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, too!

**Heather Dawn •** Thank you very much, I appreciate your kind words! I'm trying to keep up as much as possible. I left Peyton and Jake out of this one to focus on the dinner, but they'll be back with a vengeance in chapter four! Thanks again!

**BRookelUCAS716 •** I'm glad you're caught up in the story! I'm glad you find the plot interesting. Thanks for your sweet review!


	4. Because All the World's a Stage

Author's Notes: I wanted to apologize for how long it took me to pump out this chapter. It's not as long as I would have liked, but with less than a month of school left, I've been a little pressed for time to myself. Thank you so much for your patience and I hope you enjoy this update! Also: I know Peyton is going to seem a little out of character in this chapter, but I hope you give it a chance! Enjoy! **_•0621_**

I wanted to apologize for how long it took me to pump out this chapter. It's not as long as I would have liked, but with less than a month of school left, I've been a little pressed for time to myself. Thank you so much for your patience and I hope you enjoy this update! I know Peyton is going to seem a little out of character in this chapter, but I hope you give it a chance! Enjoy! 

A big **thank you** goes out to my beta, **Kat**! You're awesome, Kat!

R e v i s i t e d

A One Tree Hill fanfic by 0621

Chapter Four: Because All the World's a Stage

At the time, he'd been certain that parenting would be his downfall, and in so many ways it was. Being a father was something Jake Jagielski hadn't planned on, or to be perfectly honest even looked forward to. But that was before Nikki, before Jenny. Now he couldn't imagine a more fulfilling, rewarding career than being a dad to his beautiful baby girl. On the other hand, he often found himself feeling inadequate and not up to the task of being a _good_ dad. There was many a night he lied awake wondering if he would ever be able to give Jenny everything she needed, let alone everything she deserved. And so much of his own life was still an uncertainty. Like Peyton, for instance.

He was ready for commitment. Being a father had taught him a few things about living his life for other people. But what Jake didn't know was if Peyton was ready for a long-term relationship. After all, being with him meant she had to deal with a lot of things she wouldn't normally have to deal with in a relationship with a normal guy in high school. She'd already helped him so much with caring for Jenny, he wasn't sure if it was fair to ask her for more.

For a long moment, he sat in silence, rocking his baby girl back and forth in his arms, glad for the shade of the tree in Peyton's front lawn. It was the type of long, lazy summer afternoon that made him wish he could sit on the grass forever and gaze at the sky, safe with his daughter at last. But summer afternoons gave way to summer nights, and with Peyton around those weren't so bad, either. Not that he ever let things go overboard--Jake had learned the hard way that self-control was a virtue.

He stretched out under the tree, carefully placing Jenny on his stomach as he contemplated the sky. The day rolled past him lazily, allowing him to temporarily push Nikki to the back of his mind. He watched a cloud float by and smiled, thinking it looked like an elephant with lopsided ears. He closed his eyes and felt Jenny's fingers curl into his shirt in that iron grip only babies can manage.

"You're looking pretty relaxed there, Jagielski." A shadow fell over his closed eyelids. "Something happen I should know about?"

He peeked up at Peyton and then grinned at her, his smile lopsided but adorable. She stood above him for a moment more, drinking him in, before dropping her borrowed purse onto the grass and settling gracefully down with her legs crossed. Her fingers idly plucked at nearby blades of grass, and her hair glowed under the sunshine like a halo.

"Nothing," he replied, "except that Jenny's finally fallen asleep, giving her father a much needed half hour of rest and relaxation." His arm reached for her, and he laughed when she wrinkled her nose.

"It's itchy," she protested, even as she was stretching out to lie beside him.

"You sound like Brooke." He tweaked her nose and she laughed.

"She's rubbed off on me." Her smile was blinding as she peeked up at him. "It kind of happens when you've been friends as long as we've been."

They fell silent then, allowing themselves to nearly drift to sleep. But though she appeared peaceful, Petyon's mind was working in a slightly panicked flurry. Beneath her hand, she could feel Jake's breathing slow as he approached unconsciousness, joining his daughter in dream land.

Could she do this? Could she honestly be considering this? It was beyond out of character for her. Not only that, but it was almost guaranteed to be doomed to fail. It would be a highly hypocritical move on her part, considering what a cynic she'd been almost all of her young adult life. But this was for Jenny. And maybe—just in part—maybe for herself a little, too.

"Jake."

He shifted a little, her voice pulling him back from the brink of dreams. "_Hmm_?" It was more a inquisitive sound than an actual response.

"I need to ask you something important."

Slowly, one of his eyes opened. Then he shut it again, shook his head slightly to clear it, and lifted himself up on his elbows. He moved gently to keep from waking Jenny, who had her thumb in her mouth and her free hand tightly knotted into his shirt.

"What's up?" His brow was wrinkled in concern, and Peyton lifted her fingers to his face to ease the worry in his expression.

"Custody goes to whoever can provide a stable home to a child, right?"

"I…put simply, yes," he agreed, wondering where she was going with this line of conversation.

"And a stable home is usually one with two caregivers."

Jake tilted his head and his brow wrinkled further. He knew that she'd spent most of her formative years alone, since her mother had passed away and her father's job dragged him from home for long months out of the year. Was she saying that Jenny would be better off with her mother? That a little girl needed her mommy most of all? Though Peyton obviously felt no lost love for Nikki, perhaps she did feel that Jenny would be better of with a mother than with a father.

"Peyt—" he started, his heart wrenching nearly out of his chest in both pain and panic, but she shushed him, her eyes wild and scared and excited all at once. He could see her pulse pounding in her throat and felt her grip his arm as her breath shortened.

"Jake, will you marry me?"

•••

Brooke stared at Felix and willed herself to feel something for him.

Well, perhaps that was a bad way to think of it. She stared at him and tried to make herself feel the butterflies she'd felt the night before. She stared at him and tried to make himself feel excited by his presence. She stared at him and tried to make herself feel _anything_ but hollow and cold. And it wasn't working.

_If Peyton could see you now. Hypocrite._

She had become the thing she most hated: the cheater, the backstabber, the hussy. She'd done some pretty dishonorable things in her day, but this had to be the worst. She'd vowed to herself never to be that girl. She would never cheat on someone—that was a golden rule, one of the few standards she'd held herself to during her entire—and entirely wild—dating career.

She dragged her gaze away from Felix's face and tried to erase the image of Lucas'. Why did she let him do this to her? He'd made it clear, _again_, that she meant nothing to him. She didn't want to be in this position anymore. Why had he even kissed her in the first place?

_Because he's just like every other guy, _she snapped viciously to herself. _Because all he cares about his getting a shot at some ass. Because people like me will never mean anything to him._

But there was a cooler, more logical voice in her brain as well, one that she preferred to ignore during fits of anger, though it was becoming increasingly impossible to disregard it today.

_You know that's not true,_ it whispered, teasing her from the corners of her mind. _Lucas isn't like that. He's not like every other guy. He does care about you and your feelings—and he'd be the first to be there if you were in trouble._

She sighed and shook her head, wondering why she bothered to defend him in her thoughts. She reached out and touched Felix's hand as if to reassure herself that he was still there. She'd pushed him out of her mind last night far too easily. Not that he was a forgettable person…but with Lucas, everything else seemed to fade to the fringes of existence. Her fingers curled around her boyfriend's and she clung to him tightly.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his attention coming to her. He'd been looking over a menu, though she'd dragged him to _Karen's Café_ several times before and he always ordered the same thing.

_I'm afraid that if I let go, you'll disappear and Lucas will be able to hurt me again._ "Nothing." She smiled at him brightly. "So, boyfriend, think you might try something different this time?"

He rolled his eyes at her even though he was smiling. "Why should I? I know what I like." He squeezed her hand and she lifted her eyebrows suggestively, mischief in her gaze.

"Oh really?"

He laughed, and it struck Brooke then that he looked like a model. Everything about him was in line and stylish, down to the bright white of his perfect teeth. She couldn't help but compare this to Lucas' casual, comfortable style. He always looked so _huggable, _while Felix's clean-cut fashion made him that much more untouchable.

_Stop thinking about Lucas._

"Really," Felix confirmed, breaking into her thoughts. He unlaced their entwined hands to trace a finger up her arm and over her shoulder. He tapped her nose, then pulled his hand back and flicked his menu into the center of the table. "Chili."

"You know," she mused, shaking her head and trying to sound disappointed, "you just don't strike me as the chili-eating sort of guy."

He shrugged. "I think every guy's a chili-eating kinda guy, when you get right down to it."

She laughed and flicked her hair back over her shoulder. "I think you might have a point."

There was a moment of silence then, as their eyes met. Her heart throbbed in her chest as she wondered just how much he could see of her through her gaze. She was glad that he wasn't holding onto her hand anymore because her palms had gone sweaty. She was sure she'd paled, and she was almost as certain that her face conveyed her shameful actions.

_What if he guesses? _

She let out a shaky breath.

_What if I'll always want Lucas no matter who I'm with? _

But Felix only smiled again and put in their order. She looked up, half expecting to see Jake there, but it was a girl from school whose name she couldn't quite recall. Ashley or something. Felix winked at the girl as she finished jotting down their request, then turned his gaze back toward the door, and Brooke watched his features contort as the little bell announced a new arrival. She stiffened automatically, recognizing the expression on her boyfriend's face. She didn't even have to turn to guess who was there, there was only one person it could be.

Lucas.

She could almost feel his gaze coming to rest on the back of her head, and a chill ran down her spine, sending a powerful shiver through her whole body. She kept her eyes locked on her boyfriend's face and tried to ignore her urge to turn and stare at her ex-love. Twisting her napkin, she sent up a prayer to whoever was listening that he would simply pass them_—_leaving her in peace.

She was granted that boon at least. Lucas walked by, stiff-backed and stern at the sight of Felix. He shot Brooke one quick glance, and though he was trying to speak to her through his gaze, she turned her face away. She didn't want to hear more of his apologies. She'd had enough of those for a lifetime.

Felix watched him pass, his whole body primed for action. His mouth was in a firm, drawn line, and he had balled his fingers into a fist. Things between the two of them had never been easy, even without Brooke between them.

After a long moment of silence, Lucas disappeared into the back of the café and Felix relaxed. His fingers found hers again and he gave her hand another gentle squeeze, trying to catch her gaze.

"You okay?" he asked, noting her distress.

Brooke looked up at him and smiled a sweet, warm smile. "Fine," she replied. _Just fucking fine._

•••

He was bleeding.

He'd tried to clean up the glass of the broken beer bottle with hands that were shaking like leaves, and now blood was dripping down his arm in little crimson rivers. Nathan watched it run down his arm in numb fascination. After all, it kept him from looking at Haley. It was like a dream come true in the midst of a nightmare, and he wasn't sure he trusted himself to speak. There was a precipice here, he could feel it between them, as real as if they were standing on either edge of the Grand Canyon.

She was touching him, trying to wipe the blood from his arm and staunch his bleeding, the same way his mother had when he was a rambunctious little boy. Her fingers were cool and her touch made him tingle with awareness. That hadn't changed between them. There was electricity whenever they touched. And there was a storm building between them.

He pulled his arm from her grasp and turned his gaze to hers, his body shaking in a sudden, inexplicable rage. He'd felt this way as soon as he'd realized she'd gone. But it was worse now, with her here, staring at him like she couldn't understand his reaction.

"Nathan_—"_

He shook his head and stood up, not really understanding himself. He'd thought that if she came back, everything would get better. His world would be right again, and they could work on their marriage and realize that yes, they were in fact made for each other. Even as he moved away from her, he could feel an overwhelming urge to run to her and hold on tight. But he also had an irrational urge to lash out at her, and he wasn't sure which he would act on first.

"Listen, I…I don't know what to say. I thought about it the whole way home, I had it all planned out, but I just can't think of how it went…" She clapped a hand to her forehead and studied the floor as if she'd never seen carpet before, her nervousness tangible in the air between them. "Nathan, I love you and I came home because I want to be with you. When I vowed to share my life with you, I meant it, and music is a part of that life. Being up there, singing…it's more than I dared imagine for myself. But it feels so fake when you're not with me."

Their gazes met, but Nathan was silent. His face was as unyielding as stone, and he could tell that he was frightening her.

_Good,_ he thought viciously. _Let her be frightened. Let her feel like I did when she disappeared._

"Please, Nathan…" Her eyes were pleading. "Say something."

He let out a low, bitter laugh, his dark eyes cold as a winter night. "And what would you like me to say, Haley? Welcome home? All is forgiven? Well, it's not that goddamn easy."

If he'd slapped her, she couldn't have been more shocked. For a long moment she stared at him in mute surprise, and then the tears started to well up in her arms. This was not the homecoming she'd naively prayed for. She ran her trembling, sweaty hands down her shirt and sucked in a shaky breath.

"Is this about Chris, because we've talked about this and_—_?_"_

"It doesn't have a _thing_ to do with Chris!" He whirled away from her, balling his fist despite the fact that blood was still leaking out of his hand. "Don't you understand yet, Haley? It's never been about Chris. It's always been about _you._" She could hear the sneer in his voice though he'd turned from her. They stood like that for a long time, her frozen in place and him shaking in rage. He could hear her breath catch as her tears began to fall in earnest, but he couldn't make himself go to her. He loved her, but no magic wand could just mend this rift between them.

"Can…can we fix this?" she asked in a tiny voice, and he glanced over her shoulder at her, his face icy and impassive.

"I don't know," he said, watching her flinch at his brutal honesty. She turned her face away, let a sheet of her hair fall forward to obscure her expression, and nodded. Her tears dripped from her chin as she made herself drop her hands to her sides. Slowly, with great effort, she walked toward the door.

"If…if you want to talk…when you're ready to talk, I'll be with Lucas."

He said nothing, and she stepped out of their apartment, not even managing a backwards glance. As the door closed behind her, Nathan felt his knees go weak. He grabbed at the counter and managed to keep himself from falling, but there was nothing to catch the shards of his heart.

_Can we fix this?_

He closed his eyes in agony.

_What if we can't?_

•••

**BRookelUCAS716 •** I always really appreciate your comments! You're so sweet! I'm glad you enjoyed the tension between Luke and Brooke. I certainly wouldn't want to go too easy on them. After all, that wouldn't make much of a story, would it? I debated about adding the kiss for days! I'm still not sure I did the right thing by having them kiss, but I hope that it works well with the story. I plan on focusing a lot more on Haley in the next chapter. Thank you again! I hope you continue to like my story!

**Christine •** I'm really glad you enjoyed chapter 3, and I hope this update was just as good! Thank you!

**RoseRows • **I think that since you guys are taking the time to review, I should take the time to thank you! I really do love getting the feedback! I'm glad you enjoy my writing. It's been undergoing some major changes recently, but I like to think I'm maturing as a writer. For some reason, writing Lucas is easy for me. He reminds me a lot of this guy I know in real life, which makes writing him a lot more fun. Plus, I think it adds depth to the story. But maybe I'm just being too nice to myself. XD Writing Naley is tough for me because I love them together, and having them apart is hard. On the other hand, I very much agree with your statement; it just wouldn't be realistic if they fell into each other's arms and all was forgiven. So watch for some major drama there! And thanks again!

**heatherdawn •** What a relief to hear that I'm not butchering the characters! I took a major turn from the way the show has gone in the past episode or two, but I like to think that Haley would come back to Nathan sooner or later. As for why she left early…I was going to get into that in this chapter but I decided to focus on Nathan again…however, expect a lot of Haley in chapter 5! There's a lot I need to address with her, so you'll find out why she left early soon. Thanks for the review! I really enjoyed reading it.

**Queen2821Bee •** I'm very glad you're enjoying it! I can't promise I'm going to make it easy for Brooke, but I hope you like where this goes!

**Mel •** I'm so glad! I hope you liked this chapter just as much! Thank you!

**l-a-c-18 **• Writing the dinner scene was something I'd been looking forward to, which is why it was so much of chapter 3. I toyed with the idea of them kissing for a long, long time. I know how Brooke feels about cheaters, but in the end I thought it would be a plot booster to have them kiss. She's going to have a hard time with it, like you've seen here in chapter 4. I have a really hard time with Felix because, to be quite honest, I his character. But I'm trying to be fair to him because I don't think he's an evil guy…I just don't happen to like him. XD Anyway, I hope you enjoyed chapter 4, and I promise the next update will come a lot faster than this one did!

**gooseles •** Hello again! D I hope it's getting more interesting! I know I took major liberties with Peyton's character in this chapter, but I promise to fix it! I'm really glad to hear that I'm improving with this story as I continue. I was nervous about writing an OTH fanfic, especially right out of the gate, but I'm getting more comfortable as I continue. Sorry it took me so long to update! Hope to see you again in chapter 5!

**BrucasRocks •** I'm so glad that you liked chapter 3! I hope chapter 4 was just as pleasing and descriptive, and thanks for taking the time to review!


	5. You're the Only One I Can't Forget

Lyric Credits: I used a line from **Chances Are** by Bob Seger and Martina McBride as the title of this chapter. This song is off of the **Hope Floats** soundtrack

* * *

**R e v i s i t e d  
**_A One Tree Hill Fanfic by 0621_

_**

* * *

**Chapter Five: You're the Only One I Can't Forget_

Karen hadn't changed anything in his room. That was the first thing Lucas noticed as he stood in the doorway, frozen in place by a wave of emotion. For so many years, this room had signified everything that was good in the world. He'd been living at Dan's for so long that he'd almost forgotten what it felt like to come home. And now that he was standing on the threshold of his past, he felt very acutely a sense of great loss. Nothing was the same, nothing was simple anymore. Nothing would ever be that simple again.

He'd come to see his mother, though as of late their reunions had been lacking in warmth and fuzziness. He knew that she didn't understand why he chose to live with Dan, and he hated that he couldn't tell her. While it drove him insane to cause her pain of any kind, in the end he knew it would be better to protect her as best he could from the firestorm he was about to bring down. He was going to nail Dan Scott to the wall, no matter how long it took, no matter what it took. And the less Karen knew about it, the better.

He took a step into the room and glanced around, sliding his hands into his pockets the way he always did when he felt vaguely uncomfortable. He'd missed this place more than he'd thought, and that was saying something. Finally, he perched himself on the edge of his old, familiar mattress and took a deep breath. It felt good to be back, even if it was just for a short visit. It reminded him of who he was, of what was important to him. Being in his old room helped Lucas put his entire world back into perspective and allowed him a moment to refocus.

He was just stretching out on the bed to close his eyes and relax for a moment when there was a quiet knock in the direction of his open bedroom door. He opened one blue eye and for a moment was transported back in time. There was Haley, his best friend and sole confidant, standing in the doorway of his room after a shift at his mom's café, and just as full of life as she'd ever been.

Except for that was the old Haley. The new Haley—the one in his doorway this afternoon—looked tired and worn, and her puffy red eyes gave away the fact that she'd recently been crying. Lucas opened his other eye and propped himself up on one elbow.

"Hales…"

Haley hesitated, her voice strained. "I saw your car out front and…and…"

She took one hesitant step forward, and then dashed to his bedside, the tears streaming down her cheeks once more. She climbed onto the mattress next to him and he scooted to make more room for her, gathering her up into his chest. She buried her face into his shirt and choked back a sob. He could see traces of blood on her fingers, but she didn't appear to be cut or scraped anywhere. The fact that she was here at all, however, told him that something was seriously wrong.

"What's going on?" he murmured, keeping his voice low and soothing as he rocked them both gently. He really didn't have to ask—he knew that Nathan and Haley were going through some serious trouble. Still, he also knew how therapeutic it could be to put a name to the emotions and fears boiling up inside.

"I've ruined my marriage," she managed, sucking in ragged gulps of air as she tried to control her tears. His fingers ran through her hair and he sighed.

"You didn't ruin your marriage, Hales. You and Nathan are just going through some hard times. But you guys love each other, and I know that you'll be able to get through this."

Haley shook her head against his chest. "I just walked out on him again, Lucas. And he didn't stop me."

Lucas blinked in mild surprise. Perhaps things were more serious than he realized. He'd been so wrapped up in his own struggles lately, and Nathan had been so closed off, that he hadn't really been paying the amount of attention he should have to the people that mattered to him.

"What do you mean?" he asked carefully, hoping to get the story straight.

"I went to the apartment, and we got into a fight. And when I asked him if we could…" She choked off. "I just left. I couldn't be there anymore. And he didn't even say anything."

Lucas was silent for a long time, mulling this over in his mind. To be completely honest, he had no idea what to tell Haley. He was hardly the go-to guy for relationship advice. So far he'd screwed over pretty much every relationship he'd ever been in. And he'd certainly never been _married._ But Haley needed him, and he needed to be there for her. That was just how their friendship had always worked, and now more than ever, the two of them needed to lean on each other.

"He hasn't been himself since you left. For a while he went back to the old Nathan. And after that he just closed himself off, stopped talking to anyone. He's taking this whole thing really hard, but that's only because he loves you. Don't give up on him, Haley," he told her, his voice soft but firm and his eyes burning into hers. "He hasn't given up on you, no matter how hard that is to believe right now."

She held his gaze for a long moment, her brown eyes wide and serious. There was a sadness behind them that didn't used to be there, and Lucas' heart ached to see it. His arms pulled her closer and tucked her head back into the curve of his neck gently. Things had changed, that was for sure, but one thing would never change, and that was how he felt about Haley. They were bonded for life, friends no matter how much time went by or how much distance spanned between them. Somewhere along the way he'd lost sight of that fact, but he wouldn't let that happen again. She was too important to him.

"I just don't know what to do next, Lucas. I've never been this scared in my whole life," she whispered. "I don't know how to reach him, or how I can make him listen, and I know he'll never understand—"

"You're already looking at it from the wrong point of view," he said, firm once more. "He's your husband, Hales, and he's just as scared of losing you as you are of losing him." _Maybe even more so._ But he left the last unsaid, choosing instead to brush his hand over her hair and let his own steady breathing pattern soothe her.

"But what if he's right? What if…what if we can't fix this?"

Lucas didn't even hesitate, his gaze looking further than the walls of his own room. "You will."

•••

"And then?"

"And then…nothing." Peyton shrugged one shoulder, trying to avoid Brooke's curious, pointed gaze by turning her eyes to something else, _anything_ else, in her bedroom. The emotions were still too raw for her, the memory still too fresh in her mind. She hadn't really had time to come to grips herself.

"What do you mean, _nothing?_ Peyton, you _proposed _to him! For heaven's sake, _something_ had to have happened! What did he _say?_" The brunette waved her arms about in the air wildly for a moment, her half-painted toenails temporarily forgotten.

"He said…" There was a pause here. "He said that it was a very sweet offer, but it wasn't something to rush into. He said that people should get married for love and love alone, that marrying for the wrong reasons was more damaging than anything, and that he didn't want me to feel pressured into a lifetime commitment, especially since we're both so young."

Brooke paused as well and stared at her feet for a long, competitive moment. "That," she said at length, "is a very Jake Jagielski thing to say."

"Well, thanks for using your powers of perception for the greater good rather than personal gain. That still leaves me at square one." Peyton heaved one of those patented Sawyer-sighs, two parts emo and one part uniquely _her._ Brooke stared at her blonde-haired friend, her brow slightly furrowed.

"But…Peyton, do you really _want_ to get married? Especially right now? I mean, just take Nathan and Tudor girl for example." She reached out and touched Peyton's arm. "Marriage doesn't solve problems."

The two women stared at each other for a long time, communicating silently. Finally, the blonde lifted her had and put it over Brooke's, accepting the comfort she was being offered, and recognizing the logic behind the advice.

_When did we both get so cynical? When did we stop believing that everything will work out for the good guys in the end?_

"I know," she admitted. "But for Jenny, I'd be willing to give it a shot."

Brooke watched her closely, the way she did when she hoped to get a glimpse of something real behind the mask.

"You know I'm here for you no matter what," she said softly, her fingers gentle on the skin of Peyton's forearm. "I'm glad you came to me with this. Although…" A slow, warm smile curved the brunette's lips as she regarded her friend. "I never thought you'd ever come to me saying that some guy refused your proposal. I didn't think you'd ever want to be married, never mind the fact that _you_ asked _him_."

Peyton rolled her eyes, an almost-smile lighting her features for a minute as she swung her pillow half-heartedly in Brooke's direction.

"Well, now I guess you can say you've heard it all. Nothing can shock you."

"There's the snarky P. Sawyer I know." Brooke's grin was dazzling. "I was beginning to worry about you." Delicately, with the expertise of one who has become well-practiced over time, she ran the tiny brush over the nail on her big toe, considering the deep red color. She was hoping some good old girl time would snap Peyton out of this latest funk, although she suspected it wouldn't help much.

"Speaking of worrying…" Peyton tried to catch her friend's gaze. "What's going on with you? You might be able to fool Felix, but you can't fool me. And I heard you gave Lucas the cold shoulder at the café yesterday."

"Gossip whore," Brooke accused, trying to sound lighthearted and casual. "I'm fine, I promise. And while it's always fun to watch two boys squabble over you, I try not to encourage it between Lucas and Felix. Things are tense enough between them as it is."

The blonde shook her head, her expression serious. "I'm not buying it, Brooke. What's the deal? What's going on between you and Lucas?"

"Who said anything was going on between me and Lucas?" Brooke waved her hand in dismissal, but Peyton wasn't going to let the subject drop. She simply nailed her friend with the patented Sawyer stare and waited. It had never failed to get an answer out of Brooke before, and it didn't let her down now. The brunette crumbled, her face losing its casual nonchalance.

"Fine. You win." There was a pause from Brooke and Peyton held her breath, bracing herself. Whatever it was, it meant rough waters ahead in Tree Hill. "Lucas and I…there's something…I don't know how to explain it. I don't want to get hurt again, but when I'm with him…"

"Did something happen between you two?"

Brooke winced and Peyton realized she'd hit pay dirt.

"Something happened between you two." She sighed. "So what are you going to do? Are you going to break things off with Felix?"

"I…I'm not even sure I want to end things with Felix. Peyton, Lucas screwed me over pretty hard. How can I be sure he won't do it again. Besides…" Brooke trailed off, the look in her eyes distant and almost sad. "He doesn't feel the way about me that I feel for—it's just not going to happen."

For a long moment, Peyton was silent. Then, slowly, she reached out and drew Brooke into a warm embrace.

"When did things get so complicated?" she murmured, closing her eyes. Brooke made a half-amused, half-sad noise against her shoulder.

"When Lucas came into the picture."

"He is a complicated guy."

They laughed softly together for a minute, neither knowing what to say. They'd come a long way in a very short time together, somehow managing to rebuild their friendship and recapture the trust they'd once enjoyed. It didn't matter that there wasn't a constant dialogue anymore, their understanding went deeper than surface commonalities.

They sat in the quiet for a long time, lost in individual thoughts. It was peaceful to be this way, not to speak. There was a comfort just in the nearness of a friend, a comfort that Peyton deeply appreciated. She wanted to convey this to Brooke, but she was loathe to break the spell. Instead, Brooke did it for her.

"Hey, Peyt—" she started, but was cut off as the door to Peyton's room opened unexpectedly. Both girls turned toward the sound, and almost identical looks of surprise crossed their faces as they recognized their visitor.

"Nathan," Peyton managed, stricken by the look on his face. There was blood on his shirt and a little more on his hand, his hair was disheveled and his eyes were stark and desolate. The skin around his eyes was stretched tightly over his cheekbones and his mouth was drawn into a firm, straight line. He looked awful, and both girls immediately guessed why.

"Are you okay?" Brooke asked, standing quickly. She took hold of his arm and made sure that the bleeding wasn't anything serious. Satisfied that his wound wasn't deep and the blood was dry and old, she led him to Peyton's bed and gently forced him to sit down. Peyton sat up and scooted closer to her ex, her heart aching for him.

"Sorry," he said, his throat dry. "I just needed to get out of my apartment, and—"

"Don't worry about it," Peyton assured him, reaching up to touch his shoulder. "Now, what's going on?"

"I think…" Nathan tried hard not to cry, but he was quickly losing the battle. "I think it's over between me and Haley."

**•••**

**Gooseles •** I really enjoyed writing chapter four. I like Peyton's relationship with Jake and the way she all but adopts Jenny in the show. Plus, I had a lot of fun throwing Felix in there to add some character conflict. I've never really liked Felix, but I do like what he does for Lucas' character. Gives him a bit of an edge, I think, the same way Nathan did in season one.Thank you so much for your kind words and support! I really love reading your reviews every chapter, it keeps me going. See you in chapter six!

**l-a-c-18 • **Why thank you! The Brooke/Lucas kiss was definitely a jump-starter for the drama. It's hard not to focus on them because I adore their relationship. I also like that Chad and Sophia are together in real life. They're a beautiful pair. I plan on adding a confrontation between Luke and Brooke in chapter six—they've definitely got to clear the air.

Nathan and Haley is a tough one for me, too. The direction they've taken in the show is very upsetting to me. On the other hand, I want their reunion to be realistic. I do believe she wants to make their marriage work, but the wounds are still very raw right now.

Anyway, I'm really grateful that you took the time to review chapter four and I hope you enjoyed chapter five. See ya next time around and thanks for the support!

**iloveoth • **I'm so glad you love the story! I'm sorry this update took me so long but I hope you liked it. The dinner scene was one of my favorites, too. Thanks for reading and taking the time to write me a review! I hope to see you in chapter six!

**Rocker87 •** I'm very happy to hear that you're enjoying my story! Thank you for your compliments and I hope you liked chapter five!

**tardychick •** I love Naley, Brucas and Jeyton, too, and I'm glad to hear that you like the fic so far! I'm sorry the update took a while, but I hope it was worth the wait.

**IntentionallyCruel •** Thank you for your compliments! I'm glad to hear that this story is drawing the readers in. I hope it continues to intrigue you. See you in chapter six!

**HipHopper92 •** Thank you so much! I hope to see you in chapter six!


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